The work frames jihad as largely peaceful “means to struggle or exert effort,” such as waking up early in the morning to recite prayers. It argues that groups like al-Qaida and other terrorist organizations have hijacked the concept of jihad to wage warfare using such tactics as suicide bombings.

The book, reviewed in full by this reporter, was authored by U.S. military officer Youssef H. Aboul-Enein, and is titled Militant Islamist Ideology: Understanding the Global Threat.

McMaster provided a glowing blurb for the book jacket, referring to Aboul-Enein’s book as “an excellent starting point” for understanding terrorist ideology. McMaster also promoted the book in ARMOR, the journal of the U.S. Army’s Armor Branch, published at Fort Benning, Georgia, where McMaster served as commanding general at the Ft. Benning Maneuver Center of Excellence.

McMaster is clearly trying to sit the fence when it comes to identifying, addressing and combatting Islamic terrorism. He wants to separate jihad from Islam, and ignores the fact that to the terrorists, their terrorist violence IS ISLAM.

By taking such a position, McMaster is dedicated not to defeating groups like Al Qaeda and ISIS, but rather to “understanding” them.

As George W. Bush famously said after the 9/11 attacks on America, either you’re with us, or you’re with the terrorists. There is no middle ground.